Balmenach 14 Year Old 2010 Gordon & Macphail Single 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead #662 Spirit of Scotland Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2025) 70cl
1 of 278 bottles from a single sherry hogshead
Spirit of Scotland presents fine single malt Scotch whisky bottled at cask strength. Each bottle captures a moment in time never to be repeated.
This single malt from Balmenach Distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland was distilled in 2010. It matured for 14 years in a first fill Sherry hogshead before bottling in 2025 by Gordon & Macphail, at natural cask strength, without chill-filtration or artificial colouring
TASTING NOTES
Sweet blackcurrant flavours and dried fruit with Demerara sugar developing with a hint of black pepper.
About Gordon & Macphail
Arguably the most famous independent bottler of Scotch whisky there is. Gordon & MacPhail was founded in Elgin in 1895 by James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail. It is now owned by the Urquhart Family who have bow bottled over 350 different expressions from around 69 different distilleries. Gordon & MacPhail is the Trading name of Speymalt Whiskies while also owning the Benromach distillery, which they purchased in 1993. Some of the brands include Connoisseurs Choice, Cask Strength, Rare Old and Speymalt.
About Balmenach
Situated a mile inland from the village of Cromdale, Balmenach is one of Speyside’s most traditional distilleries and makes what could be classed as an ‘old-style’ whisky.
The fermentation is long, the stills relatively small and run quickly, and the vapour runs into worm tubs, rather than shell and tube condensers. This helps to produce a slow-maturing new make character which is rich and meaty, ideal for adding weight and grunt to blends, and also to be a good match with ex-Sherry casks.
Inver House has no plans to release this highly distinctive whisky as a single malt. The reason for this is that the make – whose style is unusual these days – is too highly-prized as fillings for blends, both by Inver House and other firms.
This is an old distillery. James MacGregor took out his licence in 1824 on what was a farm after a period of illicit production. According to Robert Bruce Lockhart, this took place soon after MacGregor had received a visit from a local gauger. When asked what a specific farm building contained, he said it was simply a peat shed. “Well, I suggest you take out a licence for it,” replied the gauger. Bruce Lockhart was related to the MacGregors and his highly recommended book, Scotch, contains many fascinating details about old-style distillation as practised in Cromdale. The distillery eventually passed into the hands of Scotch Malt Distillers, DCL’s malt production arm, which expanded the plant to include a Saladin maltings. It was briefly mothballed between 1993 and 1997, when it was sold to current owner, Inver House, which also produces Caorunn Gin here.
61.5% ABV
70cl
